Reunion | Esther + Alfie

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

September, 2027

Alfie never considered himself a pub kinda guy until he moved to the UK. He barely stepped foot into a bar until moving across the pond, they just never been his kinda thing. Things had changed, he learned they weren't so bad past the cobwebs and some dodgey individuals. After a long day in the greenhouses, he knew what he wanted as that reward for the day. A pint of his favorite beer. Maybe he'd run into Alora...

As he stepped into the student-free pub he made his way over to the bar. The bartender gave him a wave, already knowing what Alfie wanted. He smiled and took a hearty sip before realizing who he had sat next to.

Alfie turned to face the blonde perched in the seat before his arrival and nearly spit out the liquid from his mouth. Thank Merlin, he didn't. His eyes widened, "No-fuckin-way.." he deadpanned in disbelief, smiling with a laugh. He'd forgotten how pissed off he was with her the last time he saw her. "Are you back? Or have you been lurking around the whole time?" he asked her, feeling quite unprepared for this reunion.

Thankfully he had beer to help.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

It’d barely been an hour since the blonde had arrived back in the UK. It had been a long time coming - longer than she had initially planned for given all of the recent events preventing it. There was the Hag’s Fever and associated travel restrictions, then the fact that the school had been destroyed… Then of course there were those internal barriers that had prompted her to leave in the first place. The whole situation with Alfie? That was probably the biggest obstacle of all.

But now Esther had felt ready to confront the things that she had left behind. The school had reopened in a new format and she’d been offered a job, and truth was she needed the galleons. She’d gone inside the Hog’s Head to gather her thoughts, make an internal plan of sorts and get her bearings. In front of her she had a piece of parchment that listed available apartments for rent in and around Hogsmeade and she examined it carefully while she sipped on a house white.

It felt like mere minutes that she had settled in at the bar before things took an unexpected turn. Of all the complications of this move, confronting Alfie was probably the last thing she had wanted to tick off her to-do list. Not because she didn’t want to see him - despite all that occurred - it was more to do for the fact that she had let so much time go past without acknowledging what had happened and she had a hard time saying she was sorry.

Esther did a double take as she glanced at the man who sat beside her. Her eyes widened to mirror his astonishment as he clocked her presence. “...Surprise?” she said with a weak shrug, the end of the word accented in an upwards inflection so that it almost sounded like a question. She wasn’t sure what she had expected from seeing him again, but it wasn’t the smile he gave her, so that eased her slightly. She smiled back at him, albeit sheepishly and looked down to a suitcase on the floor beside her indicating that she had just arrived from somewhere and not that she’d just been hiding in plain sight this whole time.

“I was going to owl you…”


alfie edward o'callaghan

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

As Alfie faced Esther, the past couple of years flashed before his eyes. So much had happened. Hell, he wondered if they had unknowingly passed each other in Hogsmeade and never even known it. Esther stated 'surprise', obviously not expecting to see Alfie today. Swallowing dryly, he laughed, waving away when she said that she was going to owl him. None of that really mattered. "Nah, it's no big deal, I understand." Alfie told her easily, no anger behind his voice. "The last time we talked we weren't on the best terms." he added, giving her a look over. 

Slowly, his gaze met the suitcase beside Esther on the floor. The gears in his head started to put the pieces together. Alfie took a sip of his beer to buy himself some time, his expression softened. "Is everything alright?" he asked her, knowing that she was a long way home from NYC.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Esther felt like she could finally catch her breath when Alfie glazed over the fact that she hadn’t been in touch for the past couple of years and wrote it off like it wasn’t a big deal. She pressed her lips together in an appreciative sort of smile and averted her gaze momentarily when he acknowledged that they hadn’t exactly been on the best terms the last time they had seen each other. “Yeah…” she agreed, unwittingly giving off a kind of defeated air about her.

Of all the people she could have bumped into first, of course it’d be her luck that it’d be Alfie. But she shouldn’t be so surprised given it was here at the Hog’s Head. They had been regulars at the bar before things turned to shit, hitting it up most weekends, as well as after work. The pair had many memories (and lack thereof) in this place.

Alfie asked her if she was alright and she suddenly sat up straighter, her brows furrowing as she puffed and nodded in an attempt to dismiss any ideas that there was anything seriously wrong with her. “Oh yeah. I just had to catch a break, you know?” She already felt like she had said too much. “And then with everything going on I couldn’t get back, and…” she trailed off, rolled her eyes at the realisation that she was already making excuses and paused before looking to him and putting on the most organically genuine expression. “I’m really happy to see you though.” On impulse, Esther reached her hand out and rested it on Alfie’s forearm and gave it a little squeeze like it was a small peace offering. She had a lot of catching up to do.

alfie edward o'callaghan

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

Alfie nursed the beer in his hands as Esther explained that she needed to get away to get a break, along with the challenges of getting back during Hags Fever and everything else that happened in the wizarding world. Well, he understood "needing a break" completely, it was the reason why he wasn't teaching anymore and he fucked off to Nepal for a few months before deciding to start his own business.

Esther reached to give his forearm a squeeze, telling him he was happy to see her. The look she gave him looked like she had endured her own challenges during their experience apart. Alfie swallowed, easing the pinched feeling in his gut. There were so many times he wished this day would come, hoping to have another chance to make amends with his best friend...but he sure wasn't expecting it to be today. "I completely understand, you don't have to explain to me. Sometimes we just gotta get away, but you can't always run away from problems, they'll always catch up with ya at some point..." Alfie told her before pulling her into a warm embrace. "It's great to see you again, Esther." he hugged her and pulled away after a couple of seconds, not wanting to allow a moment for sexual tension or awkwardness to seep in. But fuck, it felt good to hug her again, to know that she was alive and well..

"Where have you been anyways?" he asked her curiously. He hoped she was out seeing the world and living an exciting life. Sometimes he was jealous of people who could sell everything, change their name, and not give a fuck.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Esther felt a great deal of gratitude as her old friend assured her she didn’t need to explain anything. When he told her that you can’t always run away from your problems because they’ll always catch up with you, she did find it a bit rich coming from him but perhaps he was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. Regardless, she gave a slight nod to agree with him in an attempt to liberate them both from that harsh reality.

Alfie embraced her, and it was a small gesture that had her heart doing little flips inside her rib cage, sending electric shocks through her nervous system. She froze up for a split second but quickly sunk into it, holding him back with her eyes shut tightly together making herself present in the moment.

That was exactly what she had needed. He pulled away shortly after and Esther smiled, feeling a little lighter like she was already three glasses in. Alfie always had a way of making her feel like they could get through anything together. And like she could be herself.

Feeling well and truly bored of being a drag by now, she relaxed more into herself and assumed a more casual air about her. He asked where she had been and the blonde tilted her head a little pretending to have a good think about it. “Let’s see… Barcelona, Rome, Athens… Paree,” she listed off the last one with a goofy French accent and laughed. “It was a trip Alfie, you would have loved it.”

“What have you been doing with yourself, anyway? Are you doing okay… you know, with everything that’s been going on?” Holy shit, she felt guilty that she hadn’t checked in up until now. The best she could do was to try and make it up to him. Internally, she promised herself she wasn’t going to run away this time.

alfie edward o'callaghan

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

The pair easily slipped into conversation, happy to put the past where it belonged, in the past. This time they knew the boundaries they shouldn't cross. They never had any issues until they started sleeping together, and Alfie was a bit avoidant, flighty, and a bit jealous. Things just weren't the same. He wondered if she would stay around..

Alfie listened with interest when she shared her travels. There was a small shred of him that couldn't help but feel like he had missed out. Instead, he laughed at her accent, playing along. "Ahh, Paree. Oui. Wee, wee." he said in an over dramatized French accent. One that would probably be offensive to an actual French person. Luckily, the pub was loud and busy, so no one would notice the outburst. "I'm happy to hear you had a great time. That sounds like an epic trip, a trip of a lifetime." he told her, truly meaning it.

Esther asked how he was doing and he had to think about it for a moment. Alfie swallowed, "I've been good.." he told her with a shrug, having to think back on everything that happened. It was hard to keep track. Alfie took a sip of his beer to gain more time. "After Hogwarts burned down I wasn't in the best head space and got out of the UK for a bit and ended up backpacking Nepal for a few months. I'm not teaching anymore because I decided to start my own business."

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

"Ahh, Paree. Oui. Wee, wee.

Esther covered her mouth with her hand, narrowly avoiding spitting out wine on account of an outburst of laughter that had bubbled up on account of Alfie’s bad French accent. With her lips tightly closed she responded with an eyebrow waggle before finally being able to swallow it and then she was free to let out a laugh like a normal person.

She nodded when he suggested that it sounded like the trip of a lifetime. It was true - she had seen some amazing things, met a lot of very handsome European men, drank wine and food fit for royalty and even made a couple of friends. But she’s be lying if she said that Alfie wasn’t perpetually present in her thoughts. They would have absolutely ripped it up together if things had have panned out differently. She found out that missing her best friend was certainly far more painful than running away from him in the first place.

Then Alfie explained that he hadn’t been in a great head space after Hogwarts burned down and that pang of guilt set in again. Her expression adopted a look a little more serious then, but she was happy to hear he’d had adventures of his own. Surprised to hear that he had started his own business too, as her eyes popped with interest.

“Oh?” the blonde looked intrigued, “What kind of business Alfie? Not dealing drugs to students are ya?” Her drink was getting low and she gestured to the bartender for a refill before turning to the curly haired man in an invitation for another round. “Shall we drink to it?”

alfie edward o'callaghan

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

Alfie noticed the guilt creep across Esther's pretty face for about a split second. He always had a way of noticing how her eyebrows would crease when she got serious about something. Hell, even after years apart, he felt the comfort of having Esther around creep in. It was unexplainable. Alfie was more than happy to leave the drama of the past behind them, he was elated to have his best friend back again. There were times he found himself over the past year think about her and her well being, wondering if she was even alive. Well, she was certainly alive, well...and more gorgeous than ever. He hated how he always noticed that part.


His eyes shifted, "Well. Not students.." he joked, though there was some seriousness behind it. Alfie wasn't going to tell her the nitty gritty about the blackmarket in a busy pub because he was too paranoid for that, so he'd bend the truth a bit for the sake of his own paranoia. Recently he had become very good at Truth Bending....which he tried not to be too proud of. Alfie raised his glass to hers as she asked it if were worth a cheers. "I bought a couple of greenhouses in the area and have been supplying for the school and apothecaries, so that has been keeping me very busy." he informed her with a smile, leaving out the selling illegal herbs and things to the dodgy individuals. Alfie tilted his head to the side as he gestured to the suitcase beside her, "So, are you back-back or just rolling through? Where are you staying?" he asked her curiously, suddenly feeling like he was bombarding her with questions but he wanted to know how long she'd be around. Something told him deep down she didn't want to go back to America anytime soon. Nor did he. Their wanderlust had always been one of their common grounds.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Alfie made a point in his response to her question that he wasn’t dealing drugs to students specifically. Esther rarely missed a beat when it came to Alfie and his antics, and upon hearing this, her expression remained intact while she focussed on him and learned about his current employment ventures. Nothing much would give away the fact that acknowledged she was picking up what he was putting down, or that at the very least that she knew him enough to make an assumption, besides a barely noticeable narrow of the eyes or perhaps the tiniest curl of her lips as she brought her wine to them and drank to the toast.

“Wow - impressive!” Esther gave a nod at her friend and his latest achievements, “You suit the whole entrepreneurial vibe,” she teased, delivering an over-the-top pretend pompous English accent. She laughed, masking the fact that she was partially disappointed that Alfie wouldn’t be at the school for them to pick up where they’d left off. Esther hadn’t prepared herself for a reality where Alfie wasn’t within arms reach in every aspect that was clearly taken for granted. After all, they had worked together, lived together, and partied together day in and day out. They were basically joined at the hip. No wonder it had felt like something was missing while she was gone.

Her curly haired bestie motioned to her luggage and Esther gave a shrug. “I guess I’m back-back. Thought I would look for a place in Hogsmeade and stay at the school in the meantime,” she slid the parchment listing available real estate to rent over to him. Esther had circled a couple of small apartments on the first page - namely the ones that promised the best natural lighting and walking proximity to the pub. “Where are you living these days?” she asked, wondering what else in his life was new and what else had changed…

alfie edward o'callaghan

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

Alfie was relived that he actually had something interesting to tell Esther upon her return. He wasn't sulking around school grounds like he used to. As much as Alfie enjoyed teaching, by the end his heart wasn't in it anymore. His head cocked to the head with a flicker of amusement in his eyes at her horrible pish posh English accent. They were both truly unhinged around each other, he missed that feeling. It was a great feeling to have his best friend back. "Ya think so?" he asked with a playful eyebrow waggle. "I was tired of working for the man." Alfie said in a rebellious tone, ending with a chuckle. In that moment, he realized how much he loved working for himself.

Alfie took a sip of his brew before answering her question. "I'm still at our old flat in Hogsmeade. Only...your room is full of plants now." he admitted with the laugh. "Remember how hard you fought for all the natural light?" Alfie teased with an easy laugh. That already felt like forever ago, another lifetime almost. Hell, he had gone through so much since moving to the UK and he wouldn't change it for a thing.

"You're welcome to stay for a few days, or whatever, if you need somewhere to stay to get your wits together" he offered, hoping he wouldn't regret such an offer. Alfie couldn't let his best and longest friend wonder where she'd be staying for the night. He chuckled after the memories started to flood back. "We both know how much the accommodations at the school suck. No drinking, no smoking, and students frolicking the halls at all hours..." he pretended to gag. Staying at Hogwarts was his least favorite part of his first year teaching at the castle.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Amused and eyes glistening, Esther nodded in agreement, her brows furrowed in a very pseudo serious manner as Alfie asked her if she really thought he suited being an entrepreneur and declared that he was tired of working for the man in the tone he used. The way the pair were managing to comfortably slide back into their old roles pleased her. The way he was speaking to her as if nothing had changed and they somehow rewound to before things got messy. It was a feeling of relief that washed away the weight that had been weighing down on her and she felt lighter, finally.

Esther’s expression dropped a little to a vague air of puzzlement as Alfie informed her that he was still at their formerly shared flat. Brows arched ever so slightly she brought her chin into her palm leaning onto the bar and narrowed her gaze onto him. “Is that right?” For some reason she hadn’t pictured Alfie staying there. He must have been doing alright to be able to afford it alone - it was a great place and of course the memory of their competition to put dibs on the bigger, better room was just another fond one that Esther neatly filed away in her mind with hundreds of other memories of her and Alfie’s antics. “Of course I remember.” She replied, straightening up and taking a generous gulp of the wine in front of her.

She rubbed her jaw for a moment in consideration. It was a lot to take in, and she knew she couldn’t let too much time pass without answering because then he might regret asking her in the first place. The way she figured it, perhaps she ought to not think. Not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best. “Are you sure that wouldn’t be putting you out or anything?” Esther pushed some hair behind her ear and angled her shoulder toward him, smiling playfully, “I mean you’re not wrong about staying at the castle…”

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

Alfie didn't think twice about the offer to Esther. He had always been the type of person to go out of his way to help a friend in need, he was willing to let the past go with little explanation. They'd have time to talk about it at some point over a few beers. This time around they knew the boundaries they needed to uphold for their relationship. Though he had a feeling like everything had changed, even their friendship. He was still trying to decide if it was for the good. Alfie always had a soft spot for Esther, he just didn’t want to go back into old habits of yearning to be with her..

Esther seemed surprised that he was still living at the same place. He loved living in his cozy Hogsmeade flat, it was comfortable and his neighbors kept to themselves. The blonde contemplated the idea and he smiled with a shrug. Alfie took a sip of his beer, feigning nonchalance. She asked if she would be any trouble and he raised a hand to wave away the nonsense. ”Not at all. You’ll always be my best friend, Es. I'm offering while you're in need." he told her, truly believing it wouldn’t be a big deal. His feelings wouldn’t be hurt if she decided to stay at the school, it was the safe choice.

Alfie emptied his beer, already ready for another. ”There's a new futon in the living room with your name on it." he informed her, ”You’ll have the duty of breaking it in.” Alfie said with a chuckle.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Esther gave a sickly sweet smile, shutting her eyes tight and wiggling her shoulders making fun at Alfie’s kind comment about her always being his best friend “Awwwwww… That’s cute,” she quipped. But it had actually warmed her in a way that she couldn’t ordinarily admit to. Being a person who typically shied away from feeling feelings, it almost embarrassed her to show a sort of emotion in response to something that was in reality so wonderful to hear. Esther traditionally expressed her affection for Alfie in other ways, like teasing him and so that’s why she made the silly expression in response to his assuring her that it was ok for her to stay with him, and that he'd moved on from whatever irritation he'd had for her after the whole incident. 

“A futon?” her eyes widened dramatically and her mouth made a sort of ‘O’ shape in jest. “Wow, you really have moved up in the world, O’Callaghan. That’s some fancy shit right there”. Esther’s expression shifted from a comical one to where she blinked slowly, and let out a deep breath to convey some genuine relief instead. “Seriously though, that would be great… Thanks.” Plus she’d be lying if she told herself she wasn’t interested to see how Alfie had been living while she was gone.

The invitation for her to stay was almost open ended where she assumed that now that was settled, they could continue to catch up for the rest of the day. Now she had somewhere to crash, and nowhere to really be. She clocked his empty glass on the bar - she had an eagle eye for these things. “What are you doing for the rest of the day? I guess I probably owe you a couple,” she said, gesturing to the vessel.

[alfie edward o'callaghan]

”Ha, thanks” he laughed, scratching his head in deep thought. ”This must mean I’m officially grown up...” he cringed playfully with a sigh. Damn, this was one of those days he actually felt old. Alfie was proud of his work, he worked hard and rarely took time off to himself. He preferred to stay busy or else he often found himself thinking too much and/or getting into trouble. Especially with women.

Esther asked what he’d be getting himself up to tonight and he shrugged nonchalantly.

”This.” he shrugged with a laugh, bobbing his head of curls. ”We have a bit of catching up to do.” Alfie started, ”How about we grab a sixer and a pizza and head over...” he pitched the idea, quite liking the idea himself. ”We could even watch one of your favorite trash telly shows…y know the new about things botched plastic surgeries…just like old times ..” he laughed, nearly one step away from grabbing her suitcase at her feet and rushing toward the door.

Alfie had a flicker in his eye, happiness filling him to the core simply by being in the presence of Esther. Reality was seeping in that his best friend was back. He hoped she was back to stay but he was happy to get whatever time he could with her.

@esther